6 mins read

In Conversation with Mr. Fissal Oubida, General Manager, Middle East, Africa, CIS & Indian Subcontinent, Lexar Co. Ltd.

Jahnavi– What are the current trends and future prospects of the company?

Fissal– According to recent research reports by EY, India’s online content creation market reached a value of approximately USD 4.5 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach over USD 24 billion by 2028. This tremendous growth of the content creation industry is directly proportional to the growing demand for memory and storage solutions, which are needed to store, protect, and transport the files at a faster speed. Lexar’s innovative portfolio of memory and storage solutions are specifically designed to address challenges such as space, speed, portability and durability among Indian consumers

To enhance the customer experience, Lexar plans to collaborate with prominent retail chains, e-commerce platforms, and distributors across India. Additionally, the company soon plans to roll out digital campaigns and channel strategies, to educate customers about the innovative applications of Lexar products from authorized distributors  in India. Furthermore, Lexar will introduce localized customer support channels in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities to provide comprehensive after-sales service.

Jahnavi– Are there any long term goals set for the company which needs to be achieved by 2030? If yes, what are they?

Fissal– Lexar has been a leader in the flash memory solution market globally for the last 25 years and now is eyeing to capture a sizable market in India as well. Since, the Indian market has a huge capacity of growth owing to the increase in gaming and content creation segment, we are now aiming to expand our presence in major metro cities, as well as TIER 1 & TIER 2 cities, by enhancing our distribution and sales network. The goal is to make Lexar products readily available to end consumers through retail stores and online channels, along with effective after sales service.

Jahnavi– What all challenges and opportunities are targeted by the company and what all challenges does it come across whilst doing their business?

Fissal– Lexar, is one of the leading memory and storage solutions providers in the world – primarily focusing on memory cards, RAM memory, USB flash drives, and solid-state drives (SSDs). India’s consumer demand and trends are very dynamic and constantly evolving. We are very well equipped with state-of-the-art technology and R&D facilities to meet the demand and provide future ready data secure  memory and storage solutions products.

We see a huge potential for growth in the Indian market, particularly in the Content Creation, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics industry, which is projected to expand by approximately 14-16% over the next decade. As a global leader, Lexar offers a diverse range of cutting-edge products tailored to meet the needs of professionals, enthusiasts, and gamers.

Notably, Lexar’s high-performance products for content creators boasts of high-capacity cards, with fast transfer speeds, streamlining the process of file editing and transfer. Enabling photographers and videographers alike to capture more moments without worrying about storage space. Our photography and videography portfolio offers a variety of products, including the new 512GB Professional CFexpress TM ️ Type B Card DIAMOND Series and the Professional CFexpress TM ️ Type B Card GOLD Series, available in 1TB and 2TB capacities. Additionally, they cater to enthusiasts seeking speed and convenience with the Professional CFexpress™️ Type A 320GB + RW530 card and reader bundle.

Lexar has been catering to professional photographers and videographers for many years. We are now offering the same level of quality, performance, and reliability that consumers expect in our professional photo and video products to the gaming market. Our gaming products are designed to meet the unique needs of gamers and enable them to play at their peak without worrying about load times, game lag, or stuttering graphics. Our gaming portfolio includes DRAM, internal SSDs, portable gaming SSDs, and microSD™️ cards specifically designed to enhance the gaming experience.

Within the gaming lineup are the new ARES DDR5 RGB 6000MHz, alongside existing products like NM800PRO with Heatsink M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD, the SL660 BLAZE Gaming Portable SSD, and the PLAY microSD™️ UHS-I Card.

Jahnavi– What is Flash Memory Storage? Why would you call it a booming technology in India’s data storage industry?

Fissal– Flash memory storage is a form of computer storage that can retain data even when the power is off. It is utilized in various electronic devices like USB drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), memory cards, and smartphones. Unlike traditional mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs) that use spinning disks to handle data, flash memory employs integrated circuits for data storage and retrieval. This results in faster access, greater durability, and improved energy efficiency, making it a highly popular choice in modern computing.

In India’s data storage industry, flash memory technology is experiencing significant growth, and it is considered a thriving innovation. Companies like Lexar stand to benefit from this progress. Flash memory provides numerous advantages, including rapid data access, low power consumption, compact size, and long-lasting durability. Looking ahead, we can anticipate further advancements in flash memory’s storage capacity, with higher-capacity flash drives, SSDs, and memory cards becoming more accessible and affordable. Performance will also see improvements, with faster read and write speeds, reduced latency, and overall enhanced performance. Reliability will be strengthened through innovations like wear leveling, error correction codes, and more sophisticated controller algorithms.

Moreover, flash memory devices will embrace new interfaces and standards, like transitioning from SATA to PCIe for SSDs, resulting in higher data transfer rates and improved compatibility.

Jahnavi– How has the Rise of NVMe SSDs led to the advantages and benefits for Indian consumers and businesses?

Fissal– The emergence of NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs has brought considerable advantages and benefits to consumers and businesses in India. NVMe SSDs represent a new generation of storage devices that offer faster speeds, higher performance, and greater reliability when compared to traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and even SATA-based SSDs.

Here are some key advantages and benefits of NVMe SSDs:

Enhanced Speed and Performance: NVMe SSDs use the PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) interface, enabling much faster data transfer rates than SATA-based SSDs. This results in significantly reduced boot times, faster file transfers, quicker application loading, and an overall improvement in system responsiveness. These speed benefits are particularly valuable for resource-intensive tasks like gaming, video editing, and data analysis.

Improved Reliability: NVMe SSDs are constructed using flash memory technology, which lacks the moving parts found in traditional HDDs. This absence of moving components makes NVMe SSDs more resilient to physical shock, vibrations, and accidental drops. Additionally, they have a longer lifespan and can endure a higher number of read/write cycles, making them more reliable for long-term usage.

Enhanced Power Efficiency: NVMe SSDs consume less power compared to traditional HDDs. This power efficiency is beneficial for both consumer devices, such as laptops and tablets, and business systems, as it can result in lower operating costs and longer battery life for portable devices.

Scalability and Future-Proofing: NVMe is a technology designed to scale with evolving storage demands. It offers the potential for higher capacities and increased speeds as the technology advances. This scalability ensures that consumers and businesses can adapt to future storage requirements without significant hardware upgrades.

In conclusion, the rise of NVMe SSDs offers numerous advantages and benefits for consumers and businesses in India. The faster speeds, low latency, improved reliability, power efficiency, compact form factor, scalability, and reduced prices make NVMe SSDs an attractive storage solution for a wide range of applications, enhancing productivity, performance, and user experience.

Jahnavi– What are your thoughts on the Gaming and Entertainment Industry?

Fissal– Recently, we’ve noticed a big rise in gaming demand due to the pandemic. Many people worldwide have been staying home for the past two years, and gaming has become a safe and enjoyable way to pass the time. E-sports, in particular, have gained a lot of popularity, with around 29.6 million monthly viewers in 2022, an 11.5% increase from the previous year. This trend has led us to focus on developing high-quality gaming solutions, like top-performing SSD, DDR4, and DDR5 products, to meet the needs of gamers and provide reliable entertainment options at home. We are excited about the growth of the gaming industry and look forward to supporting the gaming community with our innovative offerings.

Jahnavi– What according to you are the Emerging Trends in SSD Technology?

Fissal– As the world of data storage keeps evolving, SSD technology is witnessing some exciting new trends that are shaping the future of data storage in India. Lexar, a leading provider of storage solutions, is well-prepared to embrace these trends and offer innovative products that meet the changing needs of the Indian market. Here’s what we can expect from the industry and Lexar:

Increasing Capacity: SSDs are getting bigger and bigger in terms of storage capacity. As technology advances, we can look forward to larger capacity SSDs becoming more affordable and widely accessible. Lexar plans to stay ahead of this trend by introducing high-capacity SSDs to meet the growing demand for storage in India.

Improved Performance: SSDs are known for their faster read and write speeds compared to traditional hard drives. The industry is continually working to enhance SSD performance, which means even faster and more responsive storage solutions in the future. Lexar aims to take advantage of these advancements and provide high-performance SSDs that enable quick data access and seamless multitasking.

NVMe Technology: Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is a groundbreaking storage protocol that offers significantly faster data transfer speeds and lower latency. NVMe SSDs are becoming increasingly popular, and the industry is moving towards widespread adoption of this technology. Lexar is fully embracing NVMe technology and plans to offer cutting-edge SSDs that deliver exceptional performance and responsiveness.

Enhanced Reliability and Endurance: SSDs have made great progress in terms of reliability and endurance, thanks to advancements in controller technology and firmware optimization. Future SSDs will continue to prioritize data integrity, error correction, and longer lifespan. Lexar’s SSDs will incorporate these improvements, ensuring robust reliability and durability for Indian consumers and businesses.

Security Features: Data security is becoming a major concern, and SSDs are incorporating advanced security features to protect sensitive information. Lexar will focus on data encryption, secure erase functionality, and other security measures to ensure the safety and confidentiality of user data.

Green Storage Solutions: Environmental sustainability is gaining importance, and SSD manufacturers, including Lexar, are actively working on energy-efficient designs and sustainable manufacturing processes. Lexar is committed to contributing to the industry’s efforts in developing eco-friendly SSDs that minimize environmental impact.

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